The 416th Bomb Group and the New England Air Museum have formed a partnership to establish a memorial exhibit dedicated solely to the 416th. 
The Museum is located at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn. and is the largest aviation museum in the Northeastern U.S. 
The New England Air Museum (NEAM) is owned and operated by the Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association,
a private, non-profit educational institution organized in 1959.  As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Museum depends on the generous support
from individuals and businesses to fulfill its mission. Contributions to the Museum are tax-deductible.   

The memorial exhibit will include a restored Douglas A-26C Invader that flew with the 671st Bomb Squadron
and various displays telling the WWII history of the Group.
The aircraft has been in preservation and restoration since 2003
with over 13,000 man-hours already expended by a group of A-26 project volunteers
headed by Carl Sgamboti (restoration crew photo above).
Carl and his wife, Maria, have attended the 416th reunions since 2004,
where he gives a presentation each year on the progress of the work on the A-26 project. 
Recent developments at the Museum finally make it possible to complete the restoration work and provide a permanent home for the Group.

The A-26 Invader “Reida Rae” (43-22499) was delivered to the 671st Bomb Squadron in December 1944 and flew tactical missions in support of the Allied advance into Germany. 
Among those personnel who are known to have flown or maintained this aircraft at that time were:

      
Flight Crew: Claude Brown and Jim Kerns
Flight Crew: Jack Buskirk, Charles Corbitt and Robert Hanna  

Ground Crew: Hartzell O. Stephens, Dick Muir, Herb Sunderland,         
Laurence Nanney, Raymond Rohrdanz (Crew Chief) and Elton Olmstead.




The Museum has set a budget and fund raising goal of $50,000 to complete the restoration within two years. 
This budget includes costs for the purchase of such items as a glass nose and Norden bombsight, museum display quality tires with WWII tread,
cockpit and gunner compartment Plexiglas, and professional cleaning and polishing of heavily corroded wing surfaces.
Veterans, spouses, family members and friends of the 416th are invited to take the lead and make a commitment to help the museum reach this goal.
Donations from all who value the service of this group and the preservation of the 9th Air Force legacy are equally welcome.

Below is a Donation Form with pertinent details (click on form to download as a pdf file)